Naruto: Chapters of Fire
by Meff89
Summary: Set after battle with Pein. Naruto never met his father and his Seal is failing. Pein demolished Konoha, but was forced to retreat. He will return with an army behind him... Meanwhile, a Demon wants to be free. Doesn't he?


**A/N Hi, Folks! Welcome to my humble tale. Enjoy.**

**Rated M for mature themes later. **

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

"Dammit!" cried Naruto as another attempt backfired, tearing his sleeve together with his arm apart. Soon, blood appeared on his injuries, lazily streaming down and silently dripping onto mud, soaking in.

Naruto grimaced. He watched his blood dripping down, and he waited. Nothing happened.

"_That's weird."_ He thought. _"Normally, that damned Fox would heal me. What -"_ his thoughts got interrupted by a loud cry.

"Naruto!" He recognized Sakura's voice. She ran to him, her hands immediately caught his injured arm and soon, a light green aura enveloped his injury.

"You idiot. Why push yourself so far? Your injuries are getting nastier and nastier. Just… give it a break!" She said, deep in concentration.

"I can't. This jutsu… I have to master it, Sakura-san" he simply stated.

Sakura perked up at his response and looked at him. He wasn't even looking at her or at his wound. His mind seemed absent, wandering.

She sighed and stopped her healing for a moment. Then, she slapped him.

"Get it together, Naruto! You need to rest! You need to eat! This jutsu, whatever it is, it can wait!" She fumed at him. The boy looked at her and finally, his mind returned and he smiled.

"Sorry… I was thinking." He seemed to be avoiding her questioning gaze.

"What about?" She pressed him, her eyes never leaving his face.

"It's… difficult to explain. Ero-sennin - sorry, Jiraiya – left me searching for the Answer. I am to break the cycle of hatred… and… I just..." he trailed off, uncertain how to continue.

"You feel you were left with nothing but burdens?" Sakura finished for him. After a thought, he nodded.

"Sometimes, I also feel that way." She confessed. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow. "I feel responsible for you. Sasuke is a missing-nin and since Kakashi-sensei… is not among us anymore… since then, I feel I should be doing more." She explained and resumed her work on Naruto's arm.

Naruto was silent. If he was younger, he would swarm Sakura with questions, he would reassure her, he would… but now, he understood.

It was Sakura who broke the silence. "There." She said, but couldn't help and continued "It's strange. Your… 'tenant' should have taken care of it, no?"

Naruto simply nodded. "That's right, but he seems to try making himself invisible. I've never understood that damn Fox."

Sakura smiled at his outburst. Typical Naruto. "Maybe your tenant agrees with me. You should end this nonsense and get some rest. Sleep."

"Maybe you're right." Naruto stood up and helped her on her feet. "Let me try one more time."

Sakura took a few steps back, making him some space.

"Alright, here we go!" shouted Naruto as he smashed his fists together. Chakra started flowing around him, similar in shape to the Ultimate defence of the clan Hyuuga.

Naruto wasn't finished. He used his element affinity to further enhance his sphere. And it worked.. .sort of.

"AHH!" Naruto cried as he accidentally slashed himself. The sphere was composed of a million thin chakra fibers, dagger-like, spinning endlessly around him. He had to keep their sharpness and speed. It was nearly impossible. One mistake, one faltering in concentration, and his sphere began to crumble around him.

Sakura wanted to help him, but she didn't move. She got cut last time and her wound, despite being cured, still ached.

Naruto ended his attempt. This time he received a long, deep cut that went from his hand up to his elbow.

"Alright, I'll give it a pass today." He said while watching Sakura healing him again.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Idiot…"

* * *

They were walking down the hill, into Konoha. She finally made him to abandon his insane training schedule.

"Ow." Sakura immediately perked up at Naruto. He seemed to be in pain, but he did his best to hide it.

'_Why didn't he use a shadow clone anyway_?' she wondered.

"Naruto?"

"Yes?" his speech seemed distant again. Why?

"Why didn't you use a shadow clone for this?"

"Usually, I power them with my tenant's chakra. Normally, they are unable to draw so much chakra, unless I give them enough, and they get destroyed quickly. That chakra is lost afterwards. And because I experiment, I have no idea how much I should give without losing too much."

"I see… but what do you mean 'usually'? Why don't you do that now?" Sakura wondered.

"… I can't. I can't draw his chakra."

Sakura stopped in her tracks. She stared at Naruto.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes. My seal is not working as it should. Jiraiya modified it, but ever since my fight with Pein-"

Naruto was interrupted by another slap.

"You idiot! Why are you keeping that to yourself? WHY?" She screeched at him. "WHY are you the most irresponsible, reckless genin in this village?"

"Sakura, I-"

"Go see Tsunade. Ask captain Yamato." She continued, somewhat calming down. "Naruto… we are here for you. Just… don't keep this burden for yourself." A lonely tear went down her face.

Naruto gave her an apologetic smile. "I will. I didn't mean to startle you." He then wiped her tear with his thumb. "Let's go see Tsunade."

* * *

"Start speaking!" Tsunade barked at a man standing before her.

"I am sorry?"

"Naruto. What's happening? I chose you as his guardian, Yamato. So?" She angrily explained.

"I only suspect."

"Yamato, I swear to Kami…"

"His seal was deteriorating quickly. By now, we should be seeing a reborn of the Kyuubi." Yamato stated. "But that is not the case." He continued, seeing Tsunade's horrified face. "The opposite happened. I have no idea why, but the Fox stopped its advances."

Tsunade closed her eyes. "What are you saying, Yamato?"

"As you requested Hokage-sama, I am still near Naruto, if possible without him knowing. Fox refuses to help him. It won't lend him chakra, it won't even heal him. If this continues-"

"He will propably die." Tsunade finished. "I know. I saw those reports. His body grew accustomed to demon's chakra, and in time lost its own ability to regenerate. He lived with that demon from his infancy! He suffers from malnutrition, because everything he eats is that damn ramen. Fox kept him on going, but now…"

"It's funny." Said Yamato. When he saw her gaze, he continued. "The way you put it… It seems the Fox is trying to help him?"

"Please, listen to yourself. Fox grew a conscience? A DEMON-" Tsunade put stress on that word. "-wants to atone for its sins? No. It has to be something else."

Tsunade's eyes suddenly grew wide. "The Fox knows it can and will break the Seal. It is preparing Naruto's body for its departure."

"That's insane!" countered Yamato. "If the Fox leaves, he will die."

"The Fox knows more about Naruto than any of us. It won't do things without a reason." Tsunade continued her thought. _'Why, Kyuubi…' _she wondered.

"Continue your mission. Report any disturbance in Naruto's chakra. Dismissed." She said out loud.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Yamato bowed and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade remained deep in her thoughts. It wasn't unusual for the Fox to try harming Naruto, but still.

'_That gaki have already enough on his plate. An orphan, his godfather killed, his sensei killed, his best friend being a missing-nin… and Hinata, a girl who loved him, sacrificed for him. Now, he keeps for himself, thinking he is the cause of all this suffering Pein brought. That damn Fox isn't helping! '_ She thought angrily.

Her thoughts got interrupted by a voice. "Hokage-sama, Sakura-san and Naruto-san wish to see you." Her new assistant. Tsunade sighed. She missed Shizune so much. "Let them in."

Sakura entered first. "Tsunade-sama" she bowed.

Next was Naruto. "Tsunade. Long time no see." He smiled. _'Did he take some fake-smile lessons from Sai or what?'_ Tsunade thought angrily.

"Naruto. Try to be polite!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "You speak to the Hokage!"

Naruto chuckled. "I am sorry. Obaa-" He didn't finish. A punch missed his head by a mere inch.

"Will you stop that?" Sakura yelled at him.

Tsunade smiled despite the fight before her. Naruto seemed happy, Sakura seemed pissed, almost as if nothing had changed. Almost.

"Stop it!" she raised her voice. "What do you want this late?" she asked.

"I have some problems with my tenant." began Naruto.

"I know." Tsunade said. "Yamato keeps an eye on you." She explained, seeing his questioning look. "don't be mad at him, it was my order."

"I understand, Tsunade." Naruto simply stated.

Sakura briefly stared at him, then exchanged a meaningful look with Hokage_. 'He's weird' _they both thought.

"Naruto." Tsunade said almost lovingly. "Speak to him. Ask him what he's up to. When we know, we can find a way of stopping him."

"He's difficult to deal with." Naruto looked at Tsunade. "But I will try."

"Can I help you in some way, Naruto?" Sakura asked with hope in her voice.

"You worry too much, Sakura." He smiled at her. "I'll speak with him tonight."

"Keep me updated." Tsunade ordered. "Both of you, dismissed."

* * *

Naruto returned to his apartment, after he walked Sakura home. He ate some ramen for dinner and got ready for his meditation. Soon his mind began to wander, closer and closer to the prison that was his Seal.

**_...Drip, drip, drip..._**

Naruto knew this place very well. Sewers. His mind was a fucked up place. Literally.

He kept on walking. Soon he arrived near a well-known cage.

"Fox!" He yelled. "Answer me!"

He saw a great body shift in the shadows. A pair of glowing red eyes opened and stared at Naruto.

"**What do you want this time, mortal?"** a bored voice echoed through sever system.

"What are you up to? Why can't I draw your chakra? Answer me!" Naruto demanded.

"**You can't, because I won't allow it."** Demon simply stated. "**Look at the Seal."**

Naruto was staring at a half-torn, half-burnt Seal. A simple touch could destroy it, so fragile it looked.

"Kami…" He breathed.

"**Your fight with Pein brought it to its limit. Now see what happens." **Naruto felt a small surge of Kyuubi's chakra in his system. At the same time, the Seal began to slowly burn away.

"Stop it!" Naruto yelled in fear. It stopped as soon as it started.

"**Now you understand, mortal."** Demon said and closed his eyes. **"If I wanted I could force my way out."** It poked cage's doors and they moved slowly forward by several inches. Naruto simply stared in horror.

"**But I do not want."**

"But… Why? Don't you want to be free again?" Naruto asked slowly, not fully comprehending Demon's words.

The Fox opened its eyes again. **"I've been here since your birth. It has been 16 long years. I watched you grow, learn and defeat your enemies. But we spoke only several times. I had time to think."**

After a pause, Kyuubi continued.

"**What am **_**I**_**, mortal? Am I a Demon to be purged? Am I a power to be harnessed and used in war? Am I a disease in your body, waiting to be cut out? Am I a Death incarnate, leaving dead and destruction in its wake?**

Naruto stood there and listened. He never thought Kyuubi was such a deep-thinking being. Maybe it was just the prison changing the way Demon thought.

"**Even you, my vessel, saw me only as energy to be harnessed. Use me as he saw fit. Power his war-machine with my strength. But…I gave you the power you asked for. I saw your intentions and I obeyed your call." **

"Why? What changed, Kyuubi?"

"**Me."**

Naruto questioningly tilted his head.

"**In time, your friends became my friends. I know them as well as you. I know your feelings, your hopes, your likes and dislikes. In a way, you are a being I know the most in this world. Yet, you still see me as an unthinking beast."**

"You can't blame me. After all, you attacked Konoha. Villagers tried to kill me because of your existence. We fought on every occasion. You even leeched my chakra!" Naruto angrily objected. Deep down however, he was feeling bad for Kyuubi.

"**I know. I don't blame you."**

"So… what now?"

"**I won't hurt you. If we find a way to repair the Seal, I will be able to assist you again."**

"Heh." Naruto snickered. "You've grown soft."

"**Keh. Don't be silly." ** Kyuubi revealed its teeth in a rare smile, but immediately grew serious again.

"**And remember, Pein will return. He wants me, my power. But I breathe and I have a soul. I still have a will." **Kyuubi paused for a moment and then added.

"**And I still have my protector."**

"Don't worry, Kyuubi! We will stop him." Naruto reassured him with his trademark smile.

"**Naruto."**

"What?"

"**Is your name human genin?"**

"What are you-"

"**You refer to me by my title, not by my name. There is still much you need to learn about a vixen living inside of you."** Naruto saw Demon's body shift in the darkness again.

"**We have spoken enough. Let me rest."**

Naruto felt his consciousness being drawn back and he slowly regained his senses. The Fox sounded more or less sincere, but… wait... What was the last thing 'he' said?

* * *

**A/N Alright, first chapter done. Hope you like it.**


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